Loyola Wears Down UMES, Earns 62-46 Win

Ben Averkamp becomes 19th player in LU history with 1,000 points and 500 boards

TAMPA, Fla. - Ben Averkamp scored 27 points and hauled in eight rebounds and in the process became the 19th player in Loyola University Chicago history to total 1,000 points and 500 rebounds as the Ramblers (3-2) earned a 62-46 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore (0-6) this afternoon at the USF Invitational. Loyola used a game-changing 20-2 run in the second half to take control of the contest.

"I felt we were getting good shots in the first half, we just weren't knocking them down," Loyola head coach Porter Moser said. "The emphasis in the second half was to get the ball inside and get some inside touches and we did that. This win will help us in the future because we really grinded it out. We got back to the gym 12 hours after we left last night's game."

The early start and third game in as many days led to a sluggish first period on both sides as the teams combined to convert just 17 of 50 shots from the field. Despite putting up a 14-0 edge on points in the paint, the Ramblers took 10 three-point field goals and knocked down only one of those long-range attempts in the opening half as UMES took a 21-19 lead into the locker room at the break. Neither team knocked down a shot from the field in the final 4:56 of the half, with the only point in that stretch coming on a free throw by Ishaq Pitt.

With the score tied at 34 midway through the second half, a pair of foul shots by Christian Thomas started the decisive 20-2 Loyola run which featured 11 points from Averkamp and seven from Thomas, as the Ramblers opened up a 54-36 lead.

Thomas finished with nine points and six rebounds for Loyola, which shot 55 percent (15 for 27) in the second half.

Troy Snyder led UMES with 13 points.

Loyola travels to Northern Illinois November 24 for its third games versus a Mid-American Conference foe this season.